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A review by richardbakare
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
4.0
The saying a “jack of all trades is a master of none,” is regularly used out of context. The full saying is a “jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” This book gets to the heart of that concept. More specifically, David Epstein goes on an exploration into the merits and failings of specialists and generalists alike.
To the surprise of many, the “successful” are often people who weave their way to the final expression of their potential. They go about picking up skills and experiences along the way that congeal into an alchemy of ability, insight, and drive. Conversely, we learn about the dangers of specialization. Specifically, the hyper silos we create that result in tunnel vision and the concurrent systemic issues.
Epstein dismantles the idea of tiger parenting and pathways to expertise from the first page. He shows how flexibility and range in experiences lead to greater potential for success. Using a wide ranging collection of anecdotal stories, study based findings, and personal reflections we get an argument for perhaps the most important perspective shift for education in decades.
To the surprise of many, the “successful” are often people who weave their way to the final expression of their potential. They go about picking up skills and experiences along the way that congeal into an alchemy of ability, insight, and drive. Conversely, we learn about the dangers of specialization. Specifically, the hyper silos we create that result in tunnel vision and the concurrent systemic issues.
Epstein dismantles the idea of tiger parenting and pathways to expertise from the first page. He shows how flexibility and range in experiences lead to greater potential for success. Using a wide ranging collection of anecdotal stories, study based findings, and personal reflections we get an argument for perhaps the most important perspective shift for education in decades.